The All-Woman International Jury Panel Adds More Judges

Four new judges have been appointed to the jury panel for the Women’s World Car of the Year.

Four new judges have been appointed to the jury panel for the Women’s World Car of the Year. All are from  countries not previously represented which indicates considerable growth and coverage for these unique  international awards. Moreover, each new judge is a high profile motoring journalist in her own country.

Maggie Barry (Scotland)

Maggie is the Motoring Editor of Media Scotland and writes mainly for the Daily Record and the Sunday Mail, two of Scotland’s leading newspapers. She began her career in motoring journalism by helping out on the motoring pages and what was merely an interest turned into a fascination.

Last year she was appointed Motoring Editor for the group and since then has been highly commended in the Headline Auto awards and won Feature Writer of the Year at the prestigious UK Guild of Motoring Writers’ awards.

“I am honoured and delighted to join this jury,” she said. “It is important we acknowledge women’s role in the choosing and purchasing a car because we are no longer bystanders – and have not been for some time. In Scotland, when it comes to family finances, most decisions are made by women and single women are increasingly an important market. I think our voices are turning into a roar.”

Marta Garcia Fernandez (Spain)

Marta was one of the first female motor journalists in Spain. In 1990 she began writing about motoring in

ELLE magazine which was then part of the French multinational Hachette Filipachi. Her automotive passion led her to found Cibercar in 1996, the first magazine on the internet in Spain.

Marta is very familiar with new technologies and has wide experience in four wheel drive and because of that was asked by Hachette Filipachi to take over as Managing Editor of Car and Driver. Eight years later, she became responsible of the motor section in QUO, a trendy popular science and lifestyle print media publication also belonging to Hachette Filipachi and acquired by Hearst Magazines.

“At this moment in Spain there are almost 11 million women car drivers, which represents 41% of the total and which shows the automotive world and everything related to it that the car is part of their daily lives,” she says.

During her professional career Marta’s articles about motoring have been published in different media such as female, economic and car magazines. She is on the jury for the Spanish Car of the Year and a member of FAPE, the Spanish Journalist Association.

Silvia Baruffaldi (Italy)

Turin-born Silvia Baruffaldi graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Turin. In 1988 she began working for the bi-monthly magazine Auto & Design where she is now Editor. She was

also Italy’s correspondent for several European car magazines including Financial Times Automotive World (UK), Automobile Review (CH), AutoKampioen (NL) and Autopista (ES). She is a member of both the World Car Design Award jury and Top Manager Award in Italy.

“For too many years we’ve heard the story that women are important for the automotive industry because, besides buying cars for themselves, they also influence men’s choices but I think they actually do much more than that,’ she declares.

“Without neglecting the pure passion for cars, an all-woman jury can better evaluate the final result on the basis of a 360-degree approach with particular concern for a smart technical evolution that makes life on board easier and more enjoyable.”

Bianca Carretto (Italy)

Bianca  is from Turin. She received a classical education from Sacro Cuore and in 1982 founded

Crisalidepress Publishing, specialising in automotive. As a result of her contact with Italian and foreign car manufacturers, the company developed other editorial  projects including a Chi è Chi book designed and written for those working in transport, an information publication as a reference for motoring journalists,newspapers and other automotive companies. Other  publications along similar lines have since been produced for those working in the fields of fashion, design, food and aeronautics.

Bianca Carretto writes for the business section and about engines for the Corriere della Sera. In March

1998 she was awarded the Marisa Bellisario award for her distinguished career in management and

journalism. Of her appointment to the jury of Women’s World Car of the Year she says: “I think it’s very important that women are an active part in this industry so determinant for the economy of all countries, particularly Italy.

Two of the new judges – Maggie Barry from Scotland and Marta Garcia from Spain – attended the press

conference held in Bonn, Germany, to present the 2013 trophy to Ford Europe for winning the supreme award in the Women’s World Car of the Year in 2013 for the Ford EcoBoost 1.0l.  More judges will be added to the jury over the coming two months. Voting will commence towards the end  of the year to announce the supreme winner and category winners in the 2014 Women’s World Car of the Year.

WOMEN’S WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR JUDGES

Geraldine Herbert

11th February, 2014